Switch



Aug. 30, 1932.

G. les` wADswoRTH SWITCH Filed Oct. 13. 1928 liga Fig 4f.

gwwwto'c Sw MQW am? Patented Aug. 30, 1932 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE GEORGE B. WADSWORTH, OF COVINGTON, KENTUCKY, ASSIGNOR TO THE WADSWORTH ELECTRIC MANUFACTURING COMPANY, OF COVINGTON, KENTUCKY, A CORPORA- TION OF KENTUCKY swrron Application led October 13, 1928. Seral'No. 312,358.

This invention relates to electric switches and has for an object Vthe provision of a structure which is simple, inexpensive, and which furthermore serves to maintain the contacts in good condition.

Another object is to provide a switch of a novel form which serves to preclude or extinguish the arc which commonly occurs in opening a switch.

These and other objects are attained by the means described herein and disclosed in the accompanying drawing in which:

Fig. 1 is a top plan view of the switch of the invention.

Fig. 2 is a side elevational view taken on line 2-2 of Fig. l.

Fig. 3 is a view taken on line 3-3 of Fig. 2 and showing the switch in open position.

Fig. 4 is a fragmental view showing the contacts and operating means when the switch is in a closed position.

In the present embodiment the switch is shown as having a separate base of insulating material 6 which has a longitudinal way 7 extending therethrough. A pair of bosses 8 are disposed intermediate the ends of the base and opposite one another on opposite sides of the way 7. The bosses 8 have opposed recesses 9 which open over the way 7, and from each of which extends a vertical perforation 10 opening into a recess 11 in the bottom of the base. A pair of L shaped contact members 12 and 13 are secured on the top of the base 6 by means of screws 16 passing upwardly through the base and through the flanges 14 and 15 respectively. The members 12 and 13 are developed into inverted U shaped contact members 17 and 18 which are normally in abutment as shown in Fig. 4. The adjacent arcuate outer faces 19 of the contacts 17 and 18 provide cam surfaces so that insulating blades 20 pivotally mounted upon a pin 21 may be forced downwardly against the pair of cam faces 19 to separate them against the yielding resiliency of the material for breaking electrical contact. It will be apparent that the switch is of a normally closed type.

A simple and inexpensive mounting for the insulating blades 2O consists of the pin 21 passing through a perforation in the blade 2O and retained in position by a pair of Cotter Y pins 22 disposed in the recesses 9 in the bosses and extending through the perforations 10 in the base. The Aends 23 of each Cotter pin are spread within the recess y11 in the bottom of the base so as to amply clear the bottom face of the base.

It will be noted thatA the insulating cut-olf necting the switch in an electrical circuit.

Vhile in the simplified form herein illustrated the contacts 17 and 18 are normally in abutment under the yielding spring pressure of the material, it will be understood that the invention herein is not limited to i that structure, but may have slidable or movable contacts such as 18 and 17, one or both of which may be normally held in abutment by an auxiliary spring of any suitable type. The contacts are flat and offer a liberal contacting surface one to the other, and are furthermore preserved againstthe derogatory effects of arcing by the insulating blades which serve to snuff out the arc as they are introduced between the contacts. Furthermore, the insulating blades serve to keep the contacts clean and bright because of the wiping action each time the blade is introduced or removed from between the contacts. the preferred embodiment and especiallyv for the higher voltages the blades are made up of somefsuitable kind of cold molded insulation. It should be noted that the switch of the present invention occupies but a minimum of space and operating room and that it need not of necessity comprise an independent insulating base, since the characteristic structure of the base disclosed herein may be embodied as a part of an insulating base panel in an electrical device.

What isv claimed is:

Y 1. In combination an insulating base7 a pair of opposed electrical contacts mounted on the base at opposite ends thereof and yieldably abutting one another throughout substantially the entire area of acentY faces, the contacts having adjacent cam facesv at theirtops, and a blade of'insulating materialpivoted for movement in vopposite d1- rections substantially in a plane with theV abutting faces and adapted to be forced againstsaid cam faces for yieldingly sepa *y rating the Contact faces, a'pivotal mounting` for the blades disposed within theconfines f the insulating base, the blade 'being furthermore adapted to wipe said normally abuttingv contact faces. I

2. In a device of the class described, the combination of aninsulating base having a .longitudinal slot therein, apair of opposed bosses mounted on opposite sides of the slot, a pair of thin insulating blades having a pivotall mounting between the bosses and adapted tombe moved in opposite directions y intothe slotand a pair of normally abutting yieldable .separable contacts disposed at each Y end of the slot, eachof saidvpairs being adapted *toV be electrically separated upon movement of an insulating blade therebetween.

Y 3. In aV device of the classdescribed, the i combination o f an insulating base having opposite ends and a pivot supported bythe base intermediate the ends thereof, a pair of insulatingblades both o-f which have a common mounting on the intermediately disposed pivot so that'one blade maybe pivotally movedtoward one end of the base vwhile the other may be moved toward the opposite end thereof, and apair of normally abutting yieldingly separable contacts at each end of thebase in position to be separated upon movement of their respective cooperating insulating blades to a position between the normally abutting contacts.

Y In testimonywhereof I have hereunto subscribed my name this lst day of October,

f GEORGE B. VVADSWORTH. 

